GOOD NEWS – UPDATE- STORMWATER DRAIN OUTLET NETTING REPAIRED.
Julie McKenzie, thank you for bringing to my attention the unattached stormwater netting cover under the Collingwood St Bridge, which stops rubbish/litter from entering our beautiful Maitai River.
You will be pleased to know that Nelmac have cleaned the pipe and reattached the netting cover.
Julie, you will also be very pleased to learn there are now three rubbish/litter nets attached to stormwater outlets, one under the Trafalgar St Bridge, another under the Collingwood St Bridge & a third at Halifax St that discharges into Saltwater Creek.
The nets are designed to let go in a storm event to avoid upstream flooding due to debris build up blocking the outlet. When this happens the nets act like a drawstring insuring no debris already captured escapes into the river. Unfortunately sometimes the netting will inadvertently detach itself. Nelmac are contracted to inspect and maintain the nets on a monthly basis.
When our rivers and streams are well our community will thrive, won't it?

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UPDATE - REPAIRS TO THE CHURCH STEPS & COLUMN REINSTATEMENT.
You have been wanting to know the progress with repairs to the church steps & the reinstatement of the damaged column. NCC has had a qualified stonemason, Ben West from Stoneworks, Christchurch on site to advise on the repairs needed. The fallen column will now be removed and put into storage as the support structure the column sat on was also damaged when the vehicle hit it. This structure needs to be stabilised before the column can be put back in place so this work will be carried out first. NCC have also obtained advice from a heritage architect/conservator on the correct way to repair the damage to the church steps themselves so this work can proceed.
The police file is active & they are following strong leads in the inquiry - watch this space.

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MATARIKI CELEBRATIONS – OUR MAORI NEW YEAR.
The Victory Community Centre invites us all to join with them (again this year) and celebrate Matariki - the Maori New Year on Wednesday 26 June, 4.00pm-8pm. Admission is free & a hangi will be provided at the cost of $3 or a donation of non-perishable food to stock up the food bank at Victory Community Centre.
Matariki is the Maori name for a cluster of 9 stars (also known as the Pleiades star cluster) they appear this year from Tues 25 to Fri 28 June. When they rise in mid-winter it signals the commencement of the Maori New Year.
It’s a time to celebrate new life, to remember those who’ve passed and to plan for the future.

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GOOD NEWS - THE BOOK FAIR IS BACK.
You will be pleased to learn the Annual Founders Book Fair starts Saturday 1 June & runs through to Sunday 9 June, 10am to 4.30pm daily. There is a $5 nine-day pass or a daily entry charge of $2.
There’s going to be a great range of second-hand books, DVDs, vinyl records, puzzles & games at bargain prices.
There’s nothing like a good book, is there?

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GOOD NEWS - UPDATE - Maitai Dam is at full capacity

You will be pleased to learn the Maitai Dam water storage has finally returned to full capacity. During the summer drought, the Maitai Dam water level had dropped by approximately 4.5m below the spillway and was as low as 68% full. Over a period of approximately two months, the intermittent wet weather has resulted in a slow and controlled recharge of the Dam and it is now at full capacity.

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MUSIC IS IMPORTANT.
You have been telling me for sometime now that music is important & will give life to our Central City. The good news is under Mel’s Mayoralty we are going to have specially designated music spaces/venues dotted around our city. The first will be in Old Bank Lane (which runs between Hardy St & Buxton Square). There is so much musical talent in Nelson, so let's enjoy it. This venue will be available for gigs every Friday & Saturday night during the summer period.
Music brings people together, doesn't it?

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LET’S HAVE A MID WINTER NIGHT FESTIVAL IN OUR CENTRAL CITY.
Mary Wells, thank you for sharing with me your vision of having an annual Mid Winter Night Festival in our central city. I’m sure the Nelson community will think it’s a brilliant idea.
In fact why don’t we incorporate Catherine Potton’s suggestion of a Mid Winter Night Market as well? People will love to wrap up warm & come out to an event like this, what do you think?

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THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN - WITH MEL'S MAYORALTY - UPPER TRAFALGAR STREET.
You have been telling me for some time now you would like to see upper Trafalgar Street as a precinct/plaza all year round. The good news is under Mel’s Mayoralty we are going to have a Trafalgar winter plaza trial. There will be no charge to bars/restaurants using outside/outdoors spaces during the winter months. It will as you say provide a pleasant place during the winter for people to meet & mingle – a happy space.

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Councillor Mel Courtney has announced his intention to run for mayor in this year's council election.

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GOOD NEWS - UPDATE - Apple Lane walkway bollards.
Jordan Crompton thank you for raising with me safety concerns you have with motor vehicles using Apple Lane (which connects Palm Avenue with Orchard Street) as a thoroughfare.
Jordan you will be pleased to learn that NCC shares your safety concerns & will install two bollards, one at each end of Apple Lane walkway as soon as possible. The bollards will be concreted in & positioned to allow a minimum of 1.2m clearance for the walkway.

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IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A LAUGH.
Life is too short/precious not to enjoy it. We don't always have happy days, but if we can have a laugh it helps because laughter can cure almost everything & laughing at ourselves is even better, isn't it? 

I wish you a happy Easter full of love, joy, peace & hope.

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UNITY DAY.
It was a beautiful day on the village green at Victory today for Race Unity Day. It provided an opportunity for our diverse community to come together and enjoy a picnic, music and dance performances in a light/bright festival atmosphere.
This day was special - it helped us to better understand that we are one and all in this life together.

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OUR ASSETS DO NEED TO WORK HARDER.
Andrew Murray thank you for sharing with me your views regarding the need for council assets to work harder & how it would benefit Nelson ratepayers.
Andrew you are correct, council assets do have a very important economic value to ratepayers & if managed successfully could contribute significantly to a lowering of council debt & rates. Council has over $1.44 billion dollars of assets under its management & for the ratepayers sake we cannot afford to have them not performing or sitting idle – I agree with you, an action plan is required.

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GOOD NEWS - UPDATE - SHOWER AT OUR BEAUTIFUL BEACH.
Shelley Maxted thank you for raising with me your concern regarding the state of the shower at our beautiful beach & being unable to wash feet or shower without being surrounded by sludge. Shelley, you will be pleased to know NCC has sorted the drainage & will pave the area around the shower with work being undertaken ASAP.

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CAN WE DO BETTER? YES

Allister Williams thank you for sharing with me your concerns regarding the condition of our roads & for drawing my attention to the Nelson Weekly headline. Allister, the tar & chip (you refer to) being laid on top of asphalt, is patching to give our roads a longer life. You ask, can NCC do better than this & the answer is yes.

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POPULAR BACK BEACH RACING.

The Nelson Car Club's popular race meetings took place at our (Tahunanui) back beach from 1949-1977. This was in the times of no barriers & less stringent health & safety regulations.
It's good to remember our past, isn't it?

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GOOD NEWS - UPDATE - COMBINE THE TWO.
ELECTRIC BIKE CHARGING STATIONS & CYCLE REPAIR STATIONS.
Craig Dawson you will be pleased to learn NCC are now exploring with NZ suppliers the option of combining ebike charging stations & cycle repair stations at strategic locations around our smart little city.
Further developments are expected as more info/details come to hand.

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THE BIG TAHUNA OCEAN SWIM - BACK FOR ITS SECOND YEAR.
It was a beautiful sunny morning down at the beach for the second year of the BIG OCEAN SWIM. The event attracted 600 participants ranging in age from 7 to 83. There were also Ocean Kids events of 100m, 200m & 300m for the different age groups. Organisers described the event as the best ocean swim event in the South Island & were blown away by the number of competitors, volunteers & sponsors. Swimming in the ocean has so many benefits, doesn't it?

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HUGE OPENING TODAY.
Congratulations to Pic, Fido & their fabulous team on a highly successful opening of Peanut Butter World. Thank you for opening up your doors for the public to view a whole new world of peanut butter & for providing a fun family day that everyone could enjoy. Don't you love Pic's Peanut Butter.

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